Vehicles that utilize electric traction motors to drive wheels of a vehicle typically use a three-phase alternating current (“AC”) motor coupled with an inverter having circuitry that converts direct current (“DC”) from a power source to alternating current. The inverter circuitry generally includes insulated gate bipolar transistors (“IGBTs”) and diodes mounted on a direct bonded copper (“DBC”) substrate. The DBC has integrated bus bars that operate with a circuit card and signal connector to provide a power electronics package.
During operation, the inverter converts DC current to AC current with an associated efficiency. Some energy produced by the inverter may be removed as heat to ensure that components thereof remain within allowable operating temperature limits. Currently, this is accomplished by circulating fluids through heat sinks associated with the DBC or by flowing air over the power electronics package to absorb and carry away heat. Although these configurations generally operate sufficiently, they may be improved. For example, conventional systems that cool by circulating fluids or flowing air typically operate in conjunction with other separately packaged motor cooling systems. However, as the demand for smaller vehicles has increased, optimization of space utilization has increased as well, and the current packaging of the inverters, motors, and cooling systems may be too large for these smaller vehicles.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have an electric traction motor and inverter package that is smaller than a conventional motor and inverter package. In addition, it is desirable to suitably cool the inverter such that component temperatures may be controlled. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the inventive subject matter will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.